I love both of these ingredients. Brown butter is a simple way to add amazing flavor to pretty much anything, and candied bacon is something I use quite a bit in most recipes that call for plain bacon. It's sweet and salty goodness just can't be denied! I've never heard of using either of these to flavor ice cream, but I knew this one would be a sure winner!
First you're met with the nutty flavor of the creamy brown butter ice cream, which I LOVE. Nothing beats the flavor of brown butter! Then you find yourself stumbling upon crispy pieces of sweet and salty bacon, throwing your tastebuds through one hell of a ride. This is absolutely a match made in heaven!
Ingredients:
For the bacon:
5 strips bacon (I used center cut)
approx. 2 tablespoons brown sugar
For the ice cream base:
3 tablespoons (45 g) salted butter
3/4 cup (170 g) packed dark brown sugar
2 3/4 cups (675 ml) half-and-half
5 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons brandy (whiskey or dark rum will work too)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Preparation:
For the bacon: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lay the strip of bacon on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, shiny side down. Sprinkle 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of brown sugar evenly over each strip of bacon. Bake for 12 -16 minutes. Midway during baking, flip the bacon strips over and drag them through the dark, syrupy liquid that's collected on the baking sheet. Continue to bake until deep brown (watch carefully during the last few minutes). Remove from oven and cool the strips on a rack.
Once crisp and cool, chop into little pieces.
For the ice cream base: Melt the butter in a heavy, medium-size saucepan. Cook the butter, watching carefully, until caramel colored. Stir in the brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups of the half-and-half.
In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks, then gradually add some the warm brown sugar mixture to them, whisking the yolks constantly as you pour. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low to moderate heat, constantly stirring and scraping the bottom with a heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens. Pour the cooked custard through a strainer into a large bowl containing the rest of the half-and-half (1 1/4 cups). Add brandy, vanilla and cinnamon (if using) and whisk together.
Chill the mixture for about 5 hours in the refrigerator. Once thoroughly chilled pour into ice cream maker and chill according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the bacon bits during the last couple minutes of churning, or stir them in when you remove the ice cream from the machine.
Photo and recipe shared from: http://asugarhigh.blogspot.com/2010/08/brown-butter-candied-bacon-ice-cream.html
